Conflict in the Middle East caused market volatility throughout March 2026. Find out what other factors may have affected your investments.

While the ongoing uncertainty may feel unsettling for investors, remember that your strategy reflects your long-term goals and considers periods of volatility.

Oil prices rising and ongoing uncertainty led to stock markets falling

On Saturday, 28 February, the US and Israel began strikes on Iran, which led to markets falling when they opened on Monday 2 March.

The FTSE 100 recorded its biggest loss...

Many people believe they don’t need to create an estate plan, or they put the task off because it can be challenging. However, as a homeowner, it may be a vital step to take.

An estate plan sets out how you’d like your assets, including your home, to be managed later in life and after you pass away. Here are three reasons you might want to make it a priority.

1. Ensure you pass your home to your intended beneficiaries

Who do you want to inherit your home when you die? If you don’t have a will in place, your property, along with other as...

How your brain works can affect how you view wealth and different assets. For many, this can mean cash feels like a safer option than alternatives, but it’s not always the right one. Indeed, sometimes choosing to hold cash could mean you miss growth opportunities.

3 reasons why cash might feel like the “safe” option

1. Cash can feel more tangible than alternatives

One of the benefits of cash is that you can withdraw the money and hold it. This makes it feel more tangible as an asset. Even when cash is held in an account, knowing that yo...

National Walking Week is held in May, an annual event designed to get the nation on their feet.

• It’s designed to encourage people of all ages to enjoy some of the many health benefits of walking, including: Improving your mood
• Helping you sleep better
• Boosting your immune system
• Easing muscle pain and stiffness
• Helping with weight management.

According to the British Heart Foundation, it can also reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases and cancer.

If you fancy a challenge, spectacular scenery, or simply a n...

It’s common to be juggling different goals with various time frames, which can be difficult to balance.

Over the next few months, you can read tips on managing short-, medium-, and long-term financial goals, and how a financial plan could help you bring them together on our blog. This month, read on to find out why short-term goals are just as important as your long-term ones, and how you might make the most of your money.

Short-term goals are an important part of your financial plan

Typically, short-term goals are defined as those occ...

The war in Iran could lead to higher interest rates and affect the cost of your mortgage. Find out why and whether you could be affected.

At the end of 2025, there was an expectation that the Bank of England (BoE) would make several cuts to the base interest rate in 2026 as the rate of inflation stabilised. This would have made the cost of borrowing, including through a mortgage, cheaper. However, experts now forecast that rates could rise instead.

Throughout March 2026, conflict in Iran has dominated the headlines, and while the event...

In February 2026, ongoing uncertainty around trade tariffs and concerns about the impact of AI adoption on business profits affected the markets. Read on to discover some of the factors that may have affected your investment portfolio.

Markets reached record highs but were affected by AI concerns and trade tariffs

The FTSE 100, an index of the largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, was off to a great start in February – it closed at a record high of 10,341 points on 2 February, with a range of sectors performing well, in...

Despite new homeowners worrying about losing their home if their income were to stop, only 15% prioritise taking out financial protection, according to a survey carried out by Vitality (22 January 2026).

In fact, homeowners are far more likely to invest in making their new property feel like a home. When asked what they’d actively plan for when buying a property, purchasing new furniture (36%), décor (26%), or a new kitchen or bathroom (25%) were placed at the top of the list.

Understandably, new homeowners want to invest in their proper...

Despite concerns that increased taxes would affect the profitability of the buy-to-let market and rental yields would stagnate, research suggests that most landlords reported profitable activity at the end of 2025.

According to an article from MoneyAge (3 February 2026), 85% of landlords said they were profitable in the final three months of 2025.

However, landlords do need to be mindful of challenges in the market. For example, from April 2027, the rates of Income Tax from property income will rise by two percentage points to 22%, 42%, ...